


Back In The Galley

by Ghost_Writing



Series: Treasure Planet One-shots and Drabbles [3]
Category: Treasure Planet (2002)
Genre: Adult Jim Hawkins, Adults, Aged-Up Character(s), Alcohol, Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Alpha John Silver, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha/Omega, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Astraphobia, Author Is Sleep Deprived, Boys Kissing, Cabins, Cooking, Domestic Fluff, First Kiss, Fluff, Inappropriate Erections, Kissing, Literal Sleeping Together, M/M, Mutual Pining, Nesting, Non-Traditional Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Oblivious Jim, Omega Jim, Omega Jim Hawkins, Omega Verse, POV Jim Hawkins, POV Third Person, Pining, Post-Canon, Sleeping Together, Slow Build, Slow Burn, Slow Romance, Space Pirates, both of them are dumbasses, kissing under the stars, slow burnnnnnnn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-01
Updated: 2020-09-06
Packaged: 2021-03-05 21:20:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 18,732
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25641961
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ghost_Writing/pseuds/Ghost_Writing
Summary: Jim has been recently discharged from the Queen's Navy on the account of turning down his commanding officer when he was offered to spend his rut with him. All he wanted to do was drink away his pocket money before finding passage back home in the morning when he spots Silver and his crew in the same inn.Jim doesn't want to go home and face defeat. He doesn't want to admit to his mom why he was discharged. Here's his chance to finally have an adventure, and apparently, Silver's in need of a cook.
Relationships: Jim Hawkins/John Silver, Jim Hawkins/Long John Silver
Series: Treasure Planet One-shots and Drabbles [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1857694
Comments: 16
Kudos: 72





	1. "Good Thing I Can Cook"

**Author's Note:**

> This is completely self-indulgent. I might be a little too obsessed with how Jim and Silver interact together and wanted to put that into play, with a little freedom, on how it would look in the future. Obviously pining Jim because I'll die on this ship.

Deep down, Jim knew he’d never be happy in the Navy. There was just something about always having to take orders from undeserving higher-ups and never having the freedom to just go shook him the wrong way. When he graduated, he came home with a stunning grin, however, internally he was dreading his choice. 

The harassment he’d receive from being an Omega in the Navy was harsh too. It fueled his regret every time another hit on him, or pinned him to the wall, begging to know when his next heat was. He hadn’t had his heat since he’d joined the Navy, always taking suppressants and shoving it down inside himself. He knew it was dangerous, and that eventually they’d break and he’d be put through the worst heat of his life, but he didn’t care. It was better than the alternative.

After the first two voyages, Jim had had enough. He’d had enough of the harassment. Of the sly glance’s he’d get. Of the way no one let him move up the ranks because _“an omega should know their place”_. He’d had enough. Currently, Jim had been left at a port far from home. He’d blown off his commanding officer for the last time and had been abandoned, dropped out of the Navy all together. As Jim laid miserable in his bed, he made the snap decision to drag himself down to the bar below the inn, if only to just get over the residual dread of wasting _years_ of his life.

The inn was pleasantly crowded and it reminded him of his mother’s. He stood on the stairs for a brief moment, determined to just go have a seat at a booth and drink his regrets away when his eyes caught someone he hadn’t expected. 

Silver was sitting at a large table shoved in a corner with his crew - well most of it - sat around him, hooting and hollering as they retold stories of their old adventures. Just like they had on the R.L.S. Jim had only been fifteen then, and he was twenty-two now… and yet, that old captain still walked his dreams.

It wasn’t that Jim hadn’t seen Silver since the R.L.S. He had, many times in fact. But those were mostly in passing, just a nod or a surprising wave as they saw each other in port or during the odd times at sail. Jim beamed like an exploding star when it happened. Then, there were the times that he actually talked to Silver. It was rare, mostly to tell his subordinates off and that _“he’d take care of it”_. He always just made sure Silver slipped away, and each time he did, Silver would ruffle his hair and call him a _“good lad”_ like they were back on the R.L.S.

But here he was, standing at the bottom of the stairs at his wit’s end with the Navy. Furthermore, there was Silver, happily chuckling with his crew as his mug clicked on the table while he threw his thick, muscular arms around, the dazzling smile across his lips. Jim became all too aware of how he was running dangerously low on suppressants as his normally hidden scent started to creep out and fill the air around him. 

His body seemed to move on its own accord as he crossed the room towards Silver and his crew. He knew he should stop, that he should turn back and go upstairs again. Just talking to him was dangerous, but the question he was planning to ask was worse.  
He went it over in his head, over and over again, everything he’d say. _“Hey Silver, just in town. Oh? Why? Well, I got kicked out of the Navy. Yeah, some asshole was hitting on me and didn’t take ‘no’ for an answer. My commanding officer. No way home. Can I join your crew?”_. He had it all planned out in his mind. Everything down to the last word and the tiny adjustments he’d make to his pose until he was standing next to Silver with inches between them. Okay, maybe that last part was just a tiny idea his imagination decided to dwell on, but the words were true.

As he neared the table, Silver noticed him. It was slow at first, he blinked his eyes as if he thought he was imagining Jim. When that didn’t work, his eyes shot wide, almost startled at Jim’s presence. By now, the crew had turned to see what their captain was staring at, just as Jim approached the corner of the table to Silver’s side.

“Jimbo, what brings ya here?” Silver asked, the miffed look still evident on his face as he tilted his head ever so slightly. A sterile, almost metallic scent that Beta’s usually carried was the most prominent scent coming from his direction. Yet, there was a distinctive, barely noticeable Alpha scent almost peeking out from behind the Beta one. Any normal Beta or uncaring Alpha wouldn’t even notice it. However, to an Omega’s nose - to _Jim’s_ nose, it was more prominent than the overpowering Beta scent. He always wondered why Silver wore the blockers, he didn’t need to, he was the captain of his own crew. Yet, every time Jim saw him, he smelt of the fake Beta scent.

Suddenly, the confident words and tiny adjustments of his posture that he’d planned fled his mind. It left him standing there, floundering for what felt like hours to get words out.  
“I well… you’re not going to believe it,” Jim stutters, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly as he caught a few whispers from the crew.

Silver arched an eyebrow ever so slightly, pulling over a chair from a nearby table and setting it down at his side. Right in front of Jim.  
“Try me,” he offered, gesturing for Jim to take a seat.

Jim tried so hard to keep himself from blushing. This was not a blushing moment, yet his instincts betrayed him and a soft pink filled his cheeks, only noticeable from a close distance, as he sat down next to Silver. He came up to Silver’s eye level while standing and the other was sitting, however, with both sitting down he was smaller than Silver. He gulped at the way he had to tilt his head up now to talk to the older man. 

Out of the corner of his eye, he caught a mug sliding towards him. It sloshed a little when he caught it, the fermented hops inside the cup threatening to spill out the sides of the mug. Jim didn’t normally drink. In fact, he never drank. The last time alcohol touched his lips was at his graduation ceremony. He just never had time while on voyages as the commanding officers ran him ragged. 

So the subtle, possibly friendly offering from the crew startled him. He stared down into the mug, wondering if he could even stomach whatever the crew was drinking. Then a hand patted him on the back and… it stayed. Rest on his shoulder as he turned to look up at Silver, struggling to pat down his scent from overpowering the older man and crews. 

“So, what am I not gonna believe?” Silver questioned, passing the floor to him as the crew leaned towards him. 

Jim had heard rumours that pirates were easier on Omega’s. It was almost confusing to him because he thought that those living under the _“plunder or be plundered”_ moto would be rougher with their Omegan crew. However, Jim quickly learnt that Omega’s were treated as the treasure on pirate ships, rather than the burden they seemed to be on Navy ships. It put him at ease a little, enough to spill the story.

“Got kicked outta the Navy-” Silver growled next to him. It was short and low, but Jim’s ears caught it before it disappeared as quickly as it started- “Commanding officer hit on me, _again_ ,” Jim put stress on the final word. It was the farthest thing from a lie. His commanding officer, Yue Sterling, had been a relentless, greedy Alpha. Always chasing his tail. 

His body shook a little as Silver growled once more, glaring at the Jim unintentionally. Or at least Jim hoped it was unintentional.  
“Fucking pricks never know when to quit,” Silver quipped as a murmur of agreement ran through the crew. Despite knowing how pirates treated Omega’s, it still started Jim when a mostly Alpha dominant crew agreed to Silver’s statement. 

“It’s fucking stupid. They tossed me out just cause I refused to spend his rut with him,” Jim vented, taking a swig from the mug. It was heavy, that was the best way Jim could describe it. Heavy and oddly fruity with a bitter aftertaste that only reared it’s head once the liquid was down his throat. Honestly, Jim couldn’t care less and took another swig.

Silver growled next to him. It was low and heated like it was never meant to leave his lips. He watched Silver toss the last of his mug back down his throat to cover it.  
“It pisses me off! Omega’s ain’t a piece o’ meat ya can just use. They got feelin’s too! They’re still people,” Silver stated, grumpily flagging down the waitress to bring him a refill. 

Jim watched as the crew nodded along with Silver’s statement, a few jumping in to add their own thoughts:  
“You can’t force an Omega to bed ya’.”  
“They got just as much right to be there as you do!”  
It put a small smile on Jim’s lips as he nodded in agreement, drinking down more of the heavy liquid from his mug.

“Yeah well, now I’m out of a job-” he shrugged, mentioning his unemployment without thinking- “Gotta find a way to get my ass home, I suppose,” he said solemnly, regretting the fact he’d have to go face his mother and probably work in the inn for the rest of his life. His days as a space adventurer were short-lived and it crushed him.

His feeling must’ve shone through his voice, because Silver turned to him, the anger on his face replaced with an unreadable expression. Jim’s eyes darted from the older man’s face to the had come down next o him as the waitress set down a fresh mug next to Silver, and back up to Silver’s face.

“What ya gonna do now?” Silver asked, his voice was quieter and more hushed as the crew went on bickering about the treatment of Omegas. It was starting to devolve into a discussion over the best scents and past lovers. Honestly, Jim couldn’t complain about it. He did the same thing about Alpha’s when he was younger. 

Jim huffed, taking another swig of his drink before answering. The heavy liquid sloshed against the back of his throat as he gulped it down to avoid the after taste. It didn’t work, but it was worth a shot anyway.

“No clue. Probably gonna have to work for my mum. No one’s going to hire me,” Jim admitted, deflating a little at the thought. Omega’s were rarely hired for jobs thanks to the blatant stigmatism between the dynamics and the ideology that Omega’s should be raising pups instead.  
“Good thing I can cook,” he added without thinking. It was more of a reference to his younger years when he spent the voyage to Treasure Planet with Silver. He’d taught him more than a thing or two about cooking.

Silver leaned back in his chair, noticing the fresh drink and taking a small sip of it.  
“Well, I’ve been meaning to find a cook. Bein’ the captain and cook is tough work,” Silver admits, prompting Jim’s interest further. He’d planned on asking Silver to join his crew. He hadn’t planned on Silver asking _him_.

He blinked a little at the statement, debating over his next sentence as he took a sip from his mug. He didn’t want to sound desperate, yet he didn’t want to sound overly rude. If it had been anyone else, he probably would’ve gone the second option. Yet, Silver was different. Silver was familiar. In a way that Jim really didn’t want to put a word to just yet. It scared him, more than anything. 

“Sounds tough,” Jim comments, leaning against his arm on the table. He’s turned towards Silver now as the crew ignores the two of them for a moment. 

Jim takes the time to run a lazy gaze over the older man. He’s not rippling muscles or toned abs, but he’s not the usual pudgy softness that comes with being overweight. It’s more of a mixture of both. Silver’s large belly from a few too many beers and the muscular shape of his arms does things to Jim that he finds himself wandering back to the man in his moments of peace. He doesn’t know why but he could never seem to get Silver out of his head. Even when he’d take on other partners - though no one ever lasted - he found himself trailing back to the older man.

“Mighty tough,” Silver agrees, nodding his head a little. He shifts himself, turned ever so slightly inwards towards Jim. Jim watches the way his body shifts, how he easily carries his weight like it’s nothing.  
“You wouldn’t happen to know a cook lookin’ for work. Would ya, Jimbo?”

Jim blushes at the rhetorical question. Jim already knows his answer, it’s off his lips before he can even stop himself;  
“I seem to have learnt a thing or two from a brilliant one. And I just so happen to be outta job,” he practically purs the sentence, or at least he would’ve had he not held himself back just enough to say the words without coming onto Silver. He didn’t want to startle away his chance.

“Well, what would ye say to joinin’ this here crew?” Silver posed the question to him, his voice just loud enough to catch the crew’s attention, getting them to turn their heads towards the two again. He had stuck his hand out for Jim to shake and was now watching him with bated breath, or at least Jim hoped he was. The captain tended to be unreadable at times and he could only catch a sparkle in his remaining eye.

Jim reached forwards without thinking, taking Silver’s hand and shaking it firmly.  
“I’d say ‘you’re on’,” Jim said with a grin. He could smell the subtle flicker in the overlapping scents, the way that the underlying Alpha scent leapt a little, softening subtly. For a moment, Jim forgot about the rest of the world, revelling in the handshake that neither had let go of quite yet. 

Then the cheers of the crew ripped through his ears and someone ordered another round to celebrate. He’d have to get used to the loud crew once more, he thought to himself as he let go of Silver’s hand with a chuckle as someone topped off his mug.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The part about Silver in the middle comes from the way he's animated. It's so fluid and streamlined. It's glorious.


	2. So, who’s coat was…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm well aware of how they treated cabin boys back in the ages. But this is fanfiction and in the future, so that detail is reserved for... you guessed it! The Navy. Pirates treat 'em much better.

Jim couldn’t quite remember what happened after the crew started celebrating. He had a vague idea, but the alcohol fuzzed the edges and the small details. He remembered drinking until he was swaying, Silver helping him gather some of his belongings and boarding Silver’s ship. He was given his own room down by the galley, tucked deep into the ship. The moment he saw his own mattress he deflated, happily slumping into the soft thing. 

The next morning, Jim woke up rubbing his head. His internal clock was right on time and the ship was barely lit by the rising sun of the port it was currently docked in. He knew from years of experience, he needed to get up now and start on breakfast. Yet, the blanket over him was heavy and warm and smelt so familiar, practically begging him to stay in bed. As he cracked open his eyes, clutching the blanket that was laid around him, he noticed that it was in fact, not a blanket. Instead, it was a large coat, big enough to cover his whole body and a little more. There were no sheets on the blanket apart from the one around the mattress and Jim’s blankets were still in his duffle bag. So, who’s coat was…

A deep blush spread over his face when he realized exactly why the coat smelt so familiar to him. The entire thing, especially the part around the neck, smelt of Silver. Not the sterile Beta scent that usually clung to him, but the heady Alpha scent that licked and whispered around the edges of it. He wasn’t exactly sure as to what to do with the coat, he didn’t want to leave it in his room and he certainly didn’t want to discard it on one of the galley’s tables when he went to do his job. He sat there for a moment, debating his options. Silver did leave his coat with him, whether he did so subconsciously or consciously Jim was unsure. He didn’t exactly know how much alcohol affected the larger man. 

But as Jim sat up to get dressed, only to find himself still dressed, he felt more than a little empty when the coat slid off him. He had been so used to the scent by the time he woke up that he didn’t realize how much it would affect him when he took it off. It took Jim all of two steps before he turned around and tugged the coat on. The sleeves were long, going past his own hands and forcing him to roll them up to his elbows, but it was comforting as it consumed him. 

He decided to keep it on until Silver asked for it back. Just because he wanted to. The voice in the back of Jim’s mind whispered to him why he wanted to keep the coat on, but he ignored it. Silver was just a comforting scent. A familiar one in the sea of fresh scents he wasn’t used to.

Jim dragged himself out of his new room, taking time to note the sparse objects in the cramped space before exiting the room. His bed was parallel to the door, set atop cupboards that held space for his belongings, his suitcase was atop a desk next to the bed, in front of a large window gazing out into the ether on the other one. It was small, yet comforting. He also noted the bed was the perfect size for a nest. 

Humming to himself, he strode down towards the galley. It wasn’t hard to find, being one of five doors in the short hallway. Another door led to food storage, another was a spare room, and the final one was a latrine. Jim took note of each one as he entered the galley.

The galley itself was of average size. Just big enough to fit a kitchen and several tables for the crew to dine at. Jim guessed that Silver had some say in its design as the stove was once again in the middle of the kitchen area, surrounded by counters. There were a few parts of the counters that pulled out as cutting boards, as well as plenty of cupboards above and below to store dishes. 

He stood in front of the kitchen, hands on his hips, taking in the working space he now possessed.  
“Yeah, this’ll work,” he whispered proudly, a smile spread across his lips. It was a little less space than he grew up using at home and a little more than he’d learnt with on the Treasure Planet voyage. It was perfect for the one-man team that he’d become. He was so wrapped up with figuring out what to make with what to make for breakfast that he didn’t realize two important details.

Number one, he wasn’t watching his scent and it was just out there, claiming the galley as his territory. If he’d done this in the Navy then someone would’ve taken it as an invitation to claim him and maim him, he wasn’t exactly sure if he was allowed to do it here or not. Number two, heavy footsteps had just entered the galley. He was only altered to the new presence by the gentle whisperings of an Alpha’s scent. It wasn’t imposing like he was used to, simply relaxed and tickling his nose in a warm way. 

Jim took a sniff of the scent, testing it. It smelt of long trips past stars and homecooked meals. Of warm hugs and celebrating drinks. It put Jim entirely at ease, causing him to release more scent. His mind completely missed the fact that he was thoroughly scenting the air while still standing in the same spot, dressed in Silver’s coat, with a strange presence coming up behind him.

“Ah, Jimbo! Didn’t think ye’d be awake!” A startled chuckle breaks the silence and Jim whips around only to see Silver stepping into the galley. His heart pounded in his chest as he realized just _who_ the scent belonged to. Subconsciously, he wrapped the jacket closer to himself.

“Well, ya know… internal clock from the Navy,” Jim supplies, nervously rubbing the back of his neck like he’d been caught doing something he shouldn’t have. “What about you? Shouldn’t you be asleep as well?”

Silver shrugs, completely at ease as he walks closer to him.  
“Nah, figured you might still be sleepin’ and was gonna do breakfast just this once,” he explains as Jim’s heart thrums in his chest at how Silver was stepping closer to him every second. 

Struggling to maintain his professionalism with his new captain, Jim backed off. He turned around and made his way towards the storage room that held food for the kitchen. Silver seemed to follow him, making Jim’s heart pound.

“I got breakfast. Why don’t you relax…” Jim’s voice melted into a whisper when he rounded a corner inside the storage room and almost ran into Silver. Every instinct was telling him to run, to find a corner to hide from the very large Alpha currently towering over him. He forced himself to stand still and grab the item he’d been reaching for instead.

“How about I give ye some pointers, just this once?” Silver offers, collecting the box of eggs that Jim couldn’t quite reach. If Jim had been alone, he would’ve found a stool, however, he had to admit that Silver’s help came with a few advantages. The first being that Silver had been cooking for this particular crew for… well, Jim wasn’t exactly sure how long, but he was sure it was more than a few years. 

Knowing he’d never be able to shove Silver to the side, Jim admitted defeat.  
“Alright. Just this once. You’re the captain. You should be runnin’ the ship, not helping me,” Jim states, collecting the last few items he’d need to make scrambled eggs and bacon. It was the only thing he could think of on the spot that required little to no prep time and fed more than a few hungry mouths.

Silver chuckles as he follows Jim back into the galley.  
“Ah this crew knows what they’re doin’,” he laughs, sending a small shiver down Jim’s spine at the sheer commanding presence that just his laugh has. It was all Jim could do to just nod along and chuckle awkwardly with the captain. 

Silence falls over the pair as Jim mumbles orders here and there while focusing on cooking. He lets Silver fry the bacon as he does the eggs, making sure that he chops the onions and gets out the milk before starting anything. He’s about to start combining the eggs together when there’s a hand on his shoulder.

He turns around and Silver’s standing next to him, holding a white apron in one hand.   
“Yer gonna need this,” he says, placing the band over Jim’s head and around his neck so it settles in between the jacket and Jim’s shirt. Silver reaches around his waist underneath the jacket and pulls the tie of the apron fully around him, tying it in a bow at Jim’s front. If Silver can hear his heart thrumming in his chest, he doesn’t mention it.

“Gee lad, yer skinnier than a rail. Put some meat on those bones-” Silver jokingly pokes his ribs with his remaining hand. It’s hot and calloused, even threw Jim’s shirt and the apron- “And roll these up, don’t want ‘em in yer cookin’,” he fusses, rolling up the sleeves of his jacket until they were back at Jim’s elbows. Jim hadn’t even noticed that they’d fallen down. Silver pats his back and turns back to the bacon, leaving Jim flustered.

As he stirs up the egg batter, Jim’s mind is racing. The apron around him is two times his size and he can’t help but wonder if it belongs to Silver as well. But the thing he’s obsessing over the most is the fact that Silver didn’t even attempt to take his coat back. Instead, he’d rolled up the sleeves and turned him back around like it was nothing. Like it was normal. Jim wanted that normal to continue to the end of his days. 

He stood across from Silver when he finally started cooking the eggs. Silver was humming along to some unknown tune as he fried up the bacon, flipping it every now and again. Jim stirs the eggs, flipping them over so they don’t burn on one side as life starts to return to the ship. He can hear the barking of orders above deck while the crew sets the ship for sail as he continues to cook up breakfast with Silver. Jim sneaks a glance at Silver every now and again. He can’t help it, the man is standing there in _his_ galley, practically begging to be admired. Jim’s more than happy to oblige the smallest hint of a crush blooming in his chest.

When Jim’s almost done preparing the eggs, there’s a scurry of boot steps down the stairs as someone else enters the galley. His head turns to see a small boy with clothes that barely fit him. His blond hair is shaggy around his head and his blue eyes are wild. He’s got a dusting of freckles across his face and slightly tanned skin. He’s definitely an Ursid like silver, with the larger nose and pattern fo his skin. He looks no older than fifteen and the scent of a recently presented omega clings to him like honey.

Silver turns to him, smiles when he sees the tiny lad.  
“Ah, there ye are Alex!” he chuckles as the boy skitters up to him.

“S-sorry, sir! I didn’t mean to sleep in!” he frantically apologizes. 

Jim watches the two of them interact with hesitation. He’s not possessive over Silver, he just wants to see how he treats the young cabin boy. A small fear in the back of his mind from the way they treated their cabin boy’s back in the Navy tells him that he needs to step in now. But he’s hesitant to step in without knowing the full truth. Silver did treat him decently when he was the cabin boy on the R.S.L.

When Silver reaches out and ruffles the boy’s hair with a caring smile, Jim relaxes.  
“Don’t worry about it lad. Yer just a kid, you’ll get used to the early mornin’s,” Silver says, turning back towards Jim.  
“Alright Jimbo, this here is Alex. He’s our cabin boy, so I trust he’ll be in good hands with you? We don’t treat ‘em like the Navy, in fact, this one is a Navy refugee. He’s a kid, treat him as such,” Silver explains, narrowing his eyes at Jim in a threatening manner as Alex bounces from side to side.

Jim puts his hands up and scoffs.  
“Silver, I was _your_ cabin boy. The way the Navy treats them is disgusting,” Jim agrees, motioning for the boy to come over to his side of the stove. “However, he’s still doing dishes and errands. And I’ve got a stack of them for when he finishes his breakfast.”

Silver roars with laughter at the remark. Honestly, Jim had meant it as a joke and the fact that Silver had actually laughed tickled him pink. Alex, on the other hand, looked more relieved than anything the moment he stepped closer to Jim and picked up his scent. Silver turned down the stove, noticing Jim’s eggs were ready and moved to the stairs exiting the galley.

“I’ll holler at the crew for ya. Just this once,” he said with a smug smirk. Jim let him, he knew Silver enjoyed telling the crew that food was ready and he’d have plenty of moments to do it himself.

Jim instructed Alex to take down the plates and set them on the counter, watching as he did so. _“He was good with instructions at least”_ Jim thought to himself as he dished up Alex’s plate and sent the boy to one of the tables.

The crew came scrambling down the stairs not long after. They waited in line as Jim dished up the eggs and bacon. There was more than enough for everyone, leaving the crew licking their lips at the sizeable portion. No one seemed to mention Silver’s coat, at least not to his face.

The quality of the food matched the quantity, or at least that’s what Jim gathered as he sat down to eat at the table with Silver, Alex, and the first mate. 

The first mate was new, a human of solid stature and build. Their hair was pulled back in a ponytail, tucked underneath the cocked hat so that the long side of their hair matched the shaved side. They gave off a distinctly Beta scent, and Jim couldn’t find any underlying scent so he went with Beta. 

They reached out their hand as he sat down.  
“The name’s Chelistine, but you can call me Chel,” they introduced themself with a smile and a wink. Jim snorted at them, they acted fluidly as if they didn’t realize they were flirting. Jim decided they probably just flirted with everyone.

“Jim. Jim Hawkins,” he replied, shaking their hand firmly. 

Chel’s eyes shot wide, their mouth opening in an ‘O’ as their head whipped over to Silver. Silver looked back at them with an unreadable expression, leaving Jim floundering at the entire exchange. Chel coughs under the captain’s stare, turning back to their food.

“It’s nice to meet you,” they say with a click of their tongue as Silver relaxes a little, watching them out of the corner of his cybernetic eye. They sit with a straight back as they polish their plate clean. 

Silver doesn’t say anything during the whole meal, and Jim can’t seem to find a way to get the conversation going. He loses his chance when Silver finishes his meal with the rest of the crew and disappears above deck. Jim catches Alex attempting to slink off above deck as well and grabs him by the back of the shirt.

“Oh, Alex. I have some new friends I’d love for you to meet,” Jim says with a smug smirk in pouring into his tone. Alex straightens up and follows after him as he pushes two objects into his hand.  
“Meet mr.bucket and ms.spongue. Get cleaning,” Jim orders, pointing a thumb at the pile of dishes waiting on the floor to be washed.

Alex grumbles something defiant but slumps down in the seat to get to work. _“Yeah, this could work,”_ Jim thinks to himself as he hops on top of the counter and starts to muse over what to make for dinner. Luckily, technology allowed him the freedom to have whatever he needed at his fingertips. Dinner was going to be good.


	3. “Well, that’s new”

Jim had an expansive knowledge of different items to cook. He knew from experience that the food in their storage would last months, staying fresh and ripe thanks to the incredible technology it was held in. He had no problem cooking whatever he wanted and Silver has yet to voice any concerns as to what he should cook first or last. 

So, it took Jim a relatively short amount of time to figure out just what he was making for dinner. It was an old recipe he’d picked up from his Navy days… the sound of that echoed in his mind. He sounded like a jaded sailor rather than some discharged Omega. The recipe consisted of sticky white rice, fish fried in lemon and exotic spices, and whatever vegetables he decided to cook.

He put his cabin boy to good use the moment he finished the dishes; handing him a mop and bucket to swab the galley clean. Jim returned to his quarters to fish out an old recipe book and a music player he’d bought a few months ago.

Setting up the cookbook was easy enough. A part of the wall extended to allow for a book to be easily slotted into place. The music player was a bit trickier, having to find the right hole that the cord plugged into. He found it in the middle of the counter and quickly plugged the player in. 

Music filled the galley as he chose the playlist. He hums along as he dices green onions and slices the lemons thinly. The fish will need a good while to marinate so he starts that first. With the music going the work is much easier and he finds Alex relaxes a little, taking orders with chirps of “yes sir!” And “of course, mister Hawkins!” as he happily hums along as well. 

By the time that dinner is nearing completion, Jim is singing loudly and thoroughly enjoying himself. He doesn’t even notice the first mate enter the galley until they’re leaning over the simmering fish to see what he was cooking up.

“Ah! Chel! Pardon me, I didn’t hear you come down,” Jim chuckles, he’s relaxed into the music and not really bothering to watch his smile or tone of voice. He hasn’t even been watching his scent, completely oblivious to the fact that the galley is now thoroughly scented with a very obviously pining scent of an Omega. Even if Jim has yet to admit it.

“Don’t worry about it, Hawkins. I just came down to see what smelt so good,” they assured him as Jim added just a bit more seasoning to the greens he was frying up.

“Old recipe I learnt in the Navy,” Jim supplies while shooing them to the side so he can flip over the fish without burning the length of his arm on the stovetop. He hasn’t bothered adjusting the stove to his height yet so it’s just a tad bit higher than it should be.

“Oh-“ Chel moves to the adjustment pad of the stove- “allow me?” 

Jim nods in their direction as the song switches on the music player.  
“If you don’t mind,” he says, watching as the stove sinks down just enough that he can comfortably work over the top of it without fear of burning himself.  
“Thank you kindly.”

“Can’t have our cook burnin’ himself, can we?” They chuckle, leaning against the counter as Jim instructs Alex to get out the bowls from the cupboard.

“I suppose we can’t…” Jim muses, “Is that all you wanted?” He shoots a raised eyebrow to the first mate as they give him a knowing look.

“Yeah, I just wanted to see exactly _who_ the infamous Jim Hawkins I hear so much about is.” They shrug their shoulders nonchalantly as they continue to lean against the counter.

Jim blushes a little and hopes that they brush it off as the heat from the stove. He coughs to clear his throat, a question already on his tongue.  
“And who would be tellin’ these stories?” 

They smirk, folding their arms over their chest.  
“Our dear old captain. If he’s got a drink in him and someone says something remotely about ya he doesn’t stop for the rest of the evenin’.”

Jim is definitely blushing now. He has no idea why- okay scratch that. He has an entirely too clear idea as to why he’s blushing at the thought of Silver talking about him but he doesn’t even know where he stands to the man, much less if he’s allowed those thoughts. No matter if they’re private or otherwise. He certainly can’t voice them, and definitely not to the first mate. He’d probably be dumped at the closest port the moment it leaves his lips. The years of repressed feelings had slowly started to bubble to the surface and Jim was having a difficult time shoving them back down.

“I… see,” Jim finally replies, cursing himself for the inability to come up with something else to say to the comment. “Anything nice?” He adds for good measure.

They nod, a little too eager to be talking about the captain to Jim. He can’t quite pin their enthusiasm.  
“He only ever says nice things, always talking about how-“ they stop abruptly mid-sentence as they turn wide-eyed to the front of the galley. Heavy footfalls have started sounding throughout the galley as someone comes down the stairs.

“Ah! Chel, there ye be!” Silver exclaims, hands on his hips as his big belly jiggles a little when he stops halfway down the stairs. 

Jim’s eyes watch the older man with surprise while he absent-mindedly scents the air. It’s quite hard to do as Jim is still wrapped in his coat and Silver’s once again giving off the sterile scent. Yet, there it is, the fresh Alpha scent sneaking past the sterile Beta scent. However, Jim also notices the fact he’s been marking the galley for the past few hours and it smells _deeply_ of Omega. Normally, he’d be panicked over this, that the captain was going to toss him overboard or take it as an invitation, yet Silver seems unfazed about the scenting and Jim swore he saw his nostrils flare a little bit to catch the soft scent. A small wave of anxiety still gatherer’s in his belly at the thought that Silver’s next words were going to reprimand him. Yet, he never did.

Silver’s eyes flicker over to Jim for a moment, a tongue darting out to wet his lips as he grins at the younger man.   
“Dinner ain’t for another half hour, get ur ass outta the galley,” Silver orders, waving for them to follow after him as he leaves the galley slowly, almost hesitating on leaving the space.   
“And, keep up the good work, Jimbo!” he calls over his shoulder.

The entire time that Silver moves, Jim’s eyes are trained on him. The way his belly jiggles, or the small flexes of his hand as he waves for them to follow, Jim can’t seem to get enough of it. He barely hears Chel’s goodbye, much less responds, he’s that enraptured in the older man. Jim’s face is completely flushed by the compliment as well, he’s standing there, a little more stunned than he’d like to admit as the captain and first mate exits the galley.

When both are finally out of the galley, Jim looks down. He’s half-mast in his pants, it explains the slightly uncomfortable pull on the fabric and for once he wishes he had his baggy pants from when he was a teen. They’d at least covered his repression. Swallowing thickly, Jim manages out an awkward chuckle to himself.

“Well, that’s new,” he mumbles. He’s barely been here a day and he’s already cruising to be dropped off at the next port. Or so he thinks… he’s not really sure as Silver has yet to mention any of the definite infractions that would’ve - and had - gotten Jim kicked out of the Navy in a moment.

He takes a brief moment to adjust his pants and take the pressure off of himself. He turns back to his cooking, hoping that it’d go back down on its own and that he could sort out his feelings later in his personal time. He’s almost burnt the fish on one side by ignoring it for too long and frantically has to flip it. Chel’s adjustment to the stove makes him wish he’d done it a lot sooner. It’s much easier to reach across the stovetop and pull a pan off the element before it burns rather than to have to skirt around the hot metal. 

Much to his relief, Jim doesn’t burn anything. He comes close to doing so when he turns his back away from the food for a brief moment to inspect Alex’s work, but thankfully Alex was quick enough to grab it as both of their noses caught the burning scent.

“Good lad,” Jim says with a smile, ruffling Alex’s hair as he adjusts the settings on the stove so everything was on light heat and didn’t burn as it waited for dinner to be called. He may have started the food just a tad bit early, but it’s better to be early than late.   
“You’ve got a keen eye.”

Alex nods his head frantically as he leans a little too into Jim’s touch like a man starved for water. Jim finally realizes why Silver was so affectionate with the boy. He’s touch starved, craving affection from anyone who’d give it to him. Probably why he’d been on a Navy ship in the first place and his secondary gender probably didn’t help much. Jim silently vows to himself to keep the lad out of trouble and in his care for as long as possible. 

Dinner goes off without a hitch, thankfully. Alex is already doing dishes as they pile up thanks to Jim giving him his portion early. It takes the load off and spreads it out instead of a massive amount all at once. A strategy Jim learnt from his days as a cabin boy.

The galleys filled with happy cheers and the roar of laughter as the crew chows down and drinks up. Someone opened a barrel of booze to celebrate docking out and the new cook, which seemed a little repetitive to Jim considering they’d celebrated last night, but he didn’t voice it. Maybe being in the Etherium over long periods of time caused new changes to be worth a bit more. That or the crew just liked to party.

Much to Jim’s relief, no one seemed to mind the Omegan scent clinging to the walls. The crew seemed more at ease and light-hearted, but he couldn’t tell if it was the scent or the booze. He was just glad that no one was complaining because it meant that Silver was less likely to port his ass the first chance he got.

Jim took his seat with Silver and Chel again. He wasn’t pretentious enough to just sit down, he’d been waved over by the pair of them. _“Invited into their space.”_ Jim’s mind wandered, exploring the little detail. Much like the crew, neither of them had voiced complaints about the scent in the few times they’d been in the galley that day. Silver had also kept his lips shut about Jim still wearing his coat. It put butterflies in Jim’s stomach that he didn’t really know what to do with. 

Chel had sparked up a conversation with the captain about his most recent adventure and it had brought Silver into a full retelling, complete with acting and dramatic voices. Jim really has tried to pay attention to the story but he’s far too flustered by the way that Silvers moving about. Each movement ripples a muscle or jostles his belly and Jim’s been straight-backed with his lap fully under the table for the past hour to hide his semi that just wouldn’t go down. It doesn’t help much that Silver’s suppressants were slowly starting to give and the heavy, delicious scent that he carries was starting to bleed through more and more with each swig of his drinks.

“... and that’s how I found myself holding a mug inside the inn that night!” Silver finishes, dramatically flaring his arms out before he sits down on the bench again.  
“It really was a shame you didn’t join us,” he says to Chel, “you could’ve met Jimbo sooner.”

Chel rolls their eyes at the comment, finishing the last bit of food on their plate.  
“I was mighty tired, Captain. Had to catch up on my rest while I still had the chance, as well as my private time,” Chel shrugs, taking a sip from the alcohol in their mug to wash the food down.

Silver claps Jim on the back as he skirts around the table to give his dish to Alex to be washed. The sudden contact caused Jim to up a little, the small hint of blush on his face darkening ever so slightly as his mind worried over if Silver could see his shame form that angle. 

“Well, don’t matter now! We’ve got ourselves one hell of a cook!” He cheers while returning to the table, his drink sloshing in its mug as he jolts his mug into the air while saying the compliment far too loud. Around them, the crew cheers with a few “Here! Here!”’s.

Jim goes a bit darker than scarlet at the compliment. He wouldn’t consider himself that good of a cook, but he want a bad one either. He’d learnt from his mother and the older man in front of him, as well as a few shifts in the Navy. However, no matter the angle he looked at it from, he loved the compliment coming from Silver’s lips.

“I’m just doin’ my job,” he shrugs, trying to brush the compliment off quickly so Silver wouldn’t catch the heat on his face. He already had enough to think about tonight, and really didn’t need more to add to the pile or he might not sleep at all.

“A fine job at that,” Silver continues, “We ain’t had a cook as good as ye for years. And I don’t count as one.” Silver settles back down across from Jim and Chel at the galley table as the crew returns to their previous conversations around them. Jim’s floundering to respond as his eyes follow after the grin across Silver’s lips.

“Silver, you’re drunk,” Chel points out trying to real their captain back from saying something he’d regret while also attempting to keep their eyes from rolling out of their head at the two men’s interaction.

Silver snorts at them, taking another swig without breaking eye contact.  
“So? What of it?” he challenges, quickly losing his conversation clearly focused on flattering Jim.

“Don’t you always tell me to ‘shut yer trap before ya say somethin’ ya regret to say while drunk’?” Chel points out, reaching across the table to stop the passing crew member from topping up their table with more of the offending substance. 

Silver sighed heavily when the crew member left his mug empty. To be perfectly honest, Jim was really glad that he had. Silver was exuding the most delicious scent that Jim had ever smelt and he had started worrying if Silver had more alcohol if it’d get too much for Jim. It had almost been two years since he’d smelt something this good and Jim was getting more drunk of the scent than the alcohol in his cup. 

“Suppose yer right, las,” Silver huffed, standing up from the table. He swayed a little from the rock of the ship and impairment of the alcohol. “It’s late, should be gettin’ to bed anyways.”

“Sleep well, both of you,” Chel instructed them like a worried mother hen, “If you need me, I’ll be on first watch. Onus has the second.” Chel stood from the table and gave their plate to Alex before reaching into their pocket for one of their _Cosmic Smoke_ cigarettes.

Jim gathered two things from them. One, some of Silver’s crew from Treasure Planet was still sailing with them as Onus was the Optoc who was the lookout for the R.L.S. And two, Chel smoked. It was a small detail yet added a certain sense of imperfection to the first mate. 

He nodded along, bidding his goodbye’s to both Silver and Chel as they left the galley. It didn’t take much longer for the rest of the crew to exit as well, leaving Alex with the remainder of the dishes. Thankfully, all Jim had to do was dump the mirky liquid that he’d cooked the fish in and he could finally hit the hay. 

“Alex, finish the dishes and then off to bed with ya,” Jim ordered, cringing at the memory that resurfaced of his younger self being left to do dishes in the galley. But, Jim couldn’t stay, he had the final watch for the night, right before dawn, and needed his rest. He’d check in on Alex then if he was still up.

“Yes sir!” Alex called after him as Jim stumbled sleepily down the hallway towards his quarters.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I went there. 
> 
> _Cosmic Smoke_ is a reference to The Outer Worlds.


	4. "If ya had some tea?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Four chapters in two days? Jesus... I should be stopped. Oh well.

As it turns out, going to sleep was much harder than Jim thought it’d be. He tossed and turned in his bed, struggling to force his mind away from Silver. The man’s face seemed to plague him even in his silent moments alone. Jim would’ve been fine with it, all be it a little creeped out, had it not been for the butterflies and arousal that followed. He’d been out of bed multiple times at this point, musing over what to make for tomorrow’s meals, unpacking his luggage, pacing his cabin… he’d done it all, yet nothing was working. He’d even gone to make sure Alex had finished the dishes and shoe the boy back to his hammock. 

Silver was undeniably attractive, Jim would give him that. His scent, his sheer size, his strength, it was all attributing factors to the ever-growing swell in Jim’s chest. Feeling’s he’d managed to ignore for years had started to pop and bubble to the surface, racking Jim with no clue on where to start. He wanted to tell Silver everything, yet at the same time, he wanted to keep his mouth shut out of fear of what Silver would do if he knew. He’d been nice enough to hire him as the cook, the least Jim could do was keep his trap shut. He didn’t need to drag someone into his unsorted mess, let alone drive a wedge between himself and the captain. 

Yet… at the same time, Jim couldn’t care less. His mind was toying with wild, thrilling fantasies about the man. They only fueled the bubbling fire in his chest as Jim struggled to go to sleep. He tossed and turned in his bed, trying to find a comfortable angle that didn’t press his erection into the bed and remind him why he was so flustered. 

He rolled over onto his back with a long sigh. His pants were tented well above his body and there was an ever-growing wet patch between his thighs. He couldn’t ignore it any longer, his mind wouldn’t let him after he’d ignored it all day. He felt a little guilty when he reached down to touch himself, should he really be doing this? Thinking of his own captain like this? What if Silver found out? Would he be disgusted with him or…? 

Jim’s mind started to toy with him as he wrapped his hand around his dick. Imagining an impossible situation of Silver finding him, grunting while he thrust into his hand over him. Imaginary Silver took his hips with his large hands, the cool metal causing him to shiver as it pressed against his hot flesh. A hand snaked down and a finger pressed into the tight ring of muscle between his legs, already soaked, as he imagined it was Silver doing so and not his own hand. He barely made it partway through the scene before his hips stuttered and he spurted cum across his bare chest.

He lay there, panting and struggling to tuck his sensitive dick back in his pants as he wiped off his hand on the side of his pants. He was in too deep and it was only the first day on the ship. He knew better than to get attached to the older man and had done so, or at least he’d tried too. With each new meeting over the years, Jim had found himself yearning for the company of Silver. He just never had the guts to admit it to himself. Honestly, his guts still felt weak and unsure of himself. He wasn’t quite sure if it was because he was unsure about Silver or if he was unsure that Silver would feel the same. 

Somehow, he managed to pass out. He’d grabbed Silver’s coat and once again used it as an oversized blanket. Jim might’ve grown a few inches since he’d been fifteen, but the coat still dwarfed him in the same way. The scent comforted him enough to lull him into sleep, tricking his instincts into thinking Silver was laying next to him. He still tossed and turned in his sleep, restless against all belief, but it was lessened enough to allow him to actually sleep. His mind wouldn’t slow down, about Silver, about being a pirate again, about finally having the freedom to go on an adventure. It was all so much for him, all at once.

* * *

However, no matter Jim’s worrying or his conscious, the week passed by without a hitch. It was the same routine every day, he’d wake up, make breakfast, give Alex his chores, walk around the deck a bit, start on dinner, hang out with the crew, and go to sleep. The monotonous routine put Jim at ease, giving him strict times when he knew he’d see Silver and when he knew he wouldn’t. Apart from the handful of times that he’d come down to bark at Alex or see what Jim had decided to cook for dinner. 

The one thing that had Jim’s mind buzzing the entire week was the fact that Silver hadn’t asked once for his coat back. Jim knew they were headed into a warmer part of the Etherium but he’d never really seen Silver apart from his coat, except for the times he’d been in the kitchen. The whole situation made Jim oddly giddy. His mind was constantly whispering about still having Silver’s coat, keeping a permanent smile on his lips. He felt like he could take on the world in the oversized, slightly heavy, garment. The coat still smelt like Silver as well, the scent was practically embedded into the material from years of use. However, now it smelt like Jim as well, only faintly, but it was there. His scent next to Silver’s. 

Jim had stopped taking his scent blockers, he felt oddly safe on the ship, like he didn’t have to hide. No one had told him to use them or demonstrated actions that would cause Jim to doubt himself, so he continued. He did keep using his suppressants though. He’d found another pack in his bag, making a mental note to buy more the next time they port. They kept his heat at bay, something he’d rather not go through by himself again, especially not when he had a duty to cook for an entire crew. 

Life was good in Jim’s opinion. The best it’d been for quite some time now. He was humming to himself as an old pop song - one of his favourites - played through the galley. Jim was in the middle of preparing for tomorrow’s dinner. There was a storm raging around the ship that had forced him awake. He’d never liked storms all that much, they just felt bad to him. 

Since he wasn’t going to be able to fall asleep till it passed, he’d decided to marinate some meat overnight so that they’d be ready to be cooked tomorrow. He was taking liberties with his newfound job and absolutely revelling in the fact that he was allowed to cook whatever he wanted, as long as he had the supplies. 

He had his music playing slightly louder than normal to cover up the rage of the storm above deck and had found himself getting far too into the music than was probably necessary. He bobbed and weaved through the kitchen, pretending he was on stage while he sang his heart out. The song had just reached the chorus when he put the meat away in the fridge.

The fridge closed with a thud and Jim was just about to spin around and start tidying up the mess he’d made when someone cleared their throat behind him. Jim jumped, no one was supposed to be awake at this hour - apart from Meltdown who was on watch - and he was far enough away from the crew to have woken anyone up, so who in god’s name was disturbing him? 

Jim whipped around to tell off whoever had decided to disturb him and came face to face with Silver. He cursed himself for the sappy love song that he had been in the middle of singing as it still played in the background. His eyes were wide as they scanned over the captain who was slumped against one of the galley’s tables, rubbing his good eye with the palm of his flesh hand. He was slightly dripping on the galley floor from walking through the storm, the sparkling stardust clinging to his shirt and pants.

“Silver! What are you doing up so late?” Jim questioned nervously as he washed off his hands, turning the volume of the music down once they were dry. What the hell was Silver doing up so late at night? Why did he look so tired? 

“Sorry ta bug ya Jimbo… was wonderin’ if ya had some tea?” Silver requested. He sounded hesitant and slightly shaken. Jim was just about to ask him what was wrong when thunder rumbled loudly from outside the ship and Silver jumped like a scared cat.

A small ‘O’ formed on Jim’s lips as the captain shrank back. He caught a whiff of Silver’s scent in the air, timid and raw. Silver had very clearly been attempting to sleep and hadn’t bothered to reapply his scent blocker before coming to bug Jim. Jim actually wondered if Silver planned on running into Jim at all or if he’d thought he was sleeping. Jim had always avoided showing fear back on the Treasure Planet run and was never near Silver during a storm so he really had no idea about Silver’s apparent fear. Or perhaps it had developed in the time that he’d been in the Navy? 

“What kind do you want?” Jim asked, finally realizing that a heavy silence had fallen over the two of them as Silver waited for him to speak next. 

Silver seemed to relax a little at the sentence, sitting down at the table.   
“Something fruity,” he replied, crossing his arms over his chest as he watched Jim work. His ear was perked up a little, almost as if he was trying to listen for the next crash before it happened. 

Jim nodded, getting the tea out of the cabinet above the fridge. He’d found it a few days back when he couldn’t sleep. He’d decided to go through all the cupboards to see just what he was working with and put his mind to sleep. He took out a small spoon and scooped some tea into a teabag before putting on the kettle. It hummed away as Jim grabbed a large black mug and set the teabag carefully inside. 

Once he finished, he turned around to lean against the counter. His eyes landed on Silver in an instant, noticing how he’d slightly curled in on himself. He looked cold and Jim felt a little guilty due to the fact that Silver’s jacket was around his shoulders and not it’s owners.

“You want your jacket?” Jim inquired, already moving to shuck the jacket off and hand it to Silver. He really didn’t want to return the garment, but he also didn’t want to see his captain freeze over his own selfishness. 

Silver shook his head faster than Jim ever thought possible.  
“No!” he said a little too quickly before coughing into his hand and continuing, “Keep the jacket. I can handle the cold.” Silver rolled his shoulders, trying to straighten them out and uncurl from himself only to curl back into warmth moments later. 

Jim rolled his eyes, slipping out of the galley for a moment with a quick “hold on”. He left for a few reasons; the blush building on his cheek, the butterflies that rocked him at the implication of the comment, the way that Silver had immediately refused his jacket back… there were quite a few. But the main one was to grab a very large, very fuzzy, deep navy blue blanket from his room. Or rather, the middle of his nest. Jim had three of the large blankets, a maroon one, a forest green one, and the current one he held. All three had even fuzzier backing’s made with white fur. They were the warmest, and most scented blankets he owned.

And he was going to give one to Silver. If Silver was so eager to see Jim in his jacket, then Jim wanted to see how he’d react to Jim offering him something of his own. He didn’t have shirts or jackets Silver could wear, so this would have to do. 

Jim returned to the galley as another roll of thunder rocked around the ship. Silver was now pacing the width of the galley. He didn’t look to be shaking, but Jim had learnt that Silver never shook from the cold. According to Silver, Ursids never got cold. Jim wasn’t too sure that was accurate but he didn’t challenge it. 

Silver noticed him almost instantly. The kettle was still heating up on the stove, growing closer to boiling, as Jim held the blanket out to him.

“So you don’t get cold,” Jim stated, trying to sound as confident as he could as Silver scanned over the blanket. For a moment, Jim feared that Silver would reject his offering and tell him to go put it away.

Then he reached down and plucked the blanket from his arms. He wrapped it around his shoulders, pulling it tightly around himself as he noticed just how warm it was. A happy smile graced his previously frowning lips as he found he could pull it all the way around his body with length to spare. 

“Thanks, Jimbo,” he mumbled, sitting back down at one of the galley’s tables. He saw Silver bring a section up to his nose and scent it, causing Jim’s heart to speed up in his chest as he returned to the stove.   
“Surprised it even fits me,” Silver chuckled as if Jim hadn’t noticed him. 

Jim had turned his back to him as he pulled out the rock sugar and cream for when the tea was ready.   
“Nesting blankets are enormous,” Jim said without thinking. The moment it left his lips Jim froze. He hadn’t meant to say that. It was one thing for Silver to give Jim his coat but it was an entirely different level for Jim to give Silver a nesting blanket. In a backwards way, it was the same as confessing your feelings to someone and even though Jim had only meant to test the waters, he wasn’t sure how Silver was going to take it.

“Didn’t know you liked my coat that much,” Silver mumbled, a slightly amused but also miffed tone in his voice. It was impossible for Jim to read as his heart still pounded in his chest. He had to get off this subject before he said something he’d regret.

“How do you want your tea?” Jim questioned, not even turning to face Silver. His face was too red as his music player switched to a very distinctive love song. The entire situation wasn’t helping the crush that was fluttering around in Jim’s chest. 

“Two sugar. No cream,” Silver said with an unreadable tone. Jim nodded his head without even turning towards Silver. 

He dropped two rock sugar into the mug, putting away the cream and the rest of the jar. He made sure to leave two lumps on the counter as he did so, taking out another mug from the cupboard. It was slightly smaller than the first one, and he used less tea this time. His own mug. 

The awkward silence was filled shortly with the screaming of a tea kettle. Jim shut off the stove, pouring the boiling water into the two mugs. Once the tea was steeping, he shut off the music as well. There was no reason to keep it playing anymore. The boiled water stayed in the kettle for the next time he needed clean water. 

Taking the mugs from the counter, Jim was suddenly very glad the galley had a door on this ship. It stopped the raging storm from entering them and forcing it even colder than it already was. Even with Silver’s jacket, he was shivering in his boots. Tonight really was a cold night. 

Silver was sitting at the table still, slumped forwards with his head in his arms. He was still wrapped in the blanket, looking a hell of a lot warmer than before. 

“Your tea, sir,” Jim chuckled, sitting down next to Silver. He set the mugs down on the table, the larger one on Silver’s side. He made sure to sit a comfortable distance away, just in case Silver told him to bugger off. 

Silver perked up at him. He sat up, stretching out a little and giving Jim a smile.  
“Thanks, Jimbo, yer a good lad,” Silver grunted, taking the mug handle in his metal hand, gingerly wrapping his flesh hand around the cup. 

“I’m not a kid anymore,” Jim huffed, rolling his eyes at the nickname that Silver had called him during his time on the R.S.L. Silver never really stopped calling him the nickname, even when he became an adult.

“I know. Just a habit, don’t mean anythin’ by it,” Silver assures him, shrugging his shoulders. He proceeded to lift the mug to his lips to take a sip, startling Jim. The tea was most definitely not ready right now. 

“Hey! Let it steep first!” Jim ordered, grabbing Silver’s metal wrist so that it stopped lifting the mug. “You’re just gonna drink boiling water if ya drink it straight away,” he explained, watching as Silver huffed and lowered his cup back down to the table.

“Yer freezin’,” he commented and Jim wondered how he could feel how cold Jim was when he was gripping his metal arm. Silver’s eyes were on his wrist that lingered for a moment before retreating back.

He decided to ask why. If only to satisfy his curiosity.   
“Your arm’s metal. Can you even feel it?” he inquired, giving Silver a questionable look. He wasn’t really versed in how sensitive cybernetic parts were. 

“Can feel it just fine. Scoot over,” Silver grunted, lifting his good arm with the blanket to give Jim space to wiggle up next to him. Jim hesitated, he was unsure if Silver was joking or not. Jim wasn’t someone to take pity on, he could handle the cold just fine. 

Yet, he found himself scooting over and allowing Silver to wrap the blanket around him. He was warm and the deep Alpha scent was even more prominent this close to Silver. He froze when the hand came down and rested just below his shoulder on his left arm. He was still wrapped up in Silver’s coat, yet he could feel the warmth of his palm through the jacket.

“See? Cold as ice. Now can I drink the tea?” Silver turned his head to look over at Jim. A soft smile was on the cyborg’s lips and Jim’s heart did a backflip in his throat. Silver looked really good with a smile on his face, especially when he was looking down at Jim. 

Rolling his eyes playfully, Jim matched Silver’s smile.  
“Yeah, tea should be good now. Just don’t forget to take the bag out,” he reminds him, taking the bag out of his own tea and setting it on the table. The table had seen worse than a damn teabag. 

“Finally,” Silver chuckles, setting the bag down as well before taking a swig from the mug. He seemed completely unfazed by the still-hot tea and Jim’s eyes went wide in shock as he stared at him. Silver seemed to notice Jim’s shock, letting out a deep bellied chuckle after swallowing. Jim tries very hard not to watch how Silver’s whole body partakes in the laugh, or the way that that the laughter rumbles through him as well thanks to their close proximity. 

“Heat doesn’t phase me very much,” he comments when he finishes laughing. If he notices the blush on Jim’s face or the way he was staring at him very obviously, he doesn’t mention it. 

Jim nods, taking a little more time to drink his tea. They hold a light conversation about old adventures until Jim prompts Silver into explaining one of his more notorious adventures. The storm continues to rage outside the ship as Jim’s eyes grow heavy. He leans against Silver as he continues to tell his long-winded tale. Silver smelled like late nights and lazy mornings, like motor oil and stew, like fresh parsley and stardust. Jim let the heavy scent wrap around him as he fell asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alternative title: Two dumbasses adamantly refuse to admit the other might be into them.


	5. "Give the Lad a Break"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> But aren't we all just a little bit dumb when it comes to obvious signals?

Jim’s back ached when he woke up the next morning. He found himself in his bed inside his nest, curled up in a ball. Sitting up and stretching his arms out, he scratched the scruff growing at his chin. He wasn’t really fazed by waking up in his own bed, but the fact that he was still wearing all his clothes. Silver’s coat was still wrapped around him and the only thing missing was his boots, which had been placed on the floor next to his bed. 

Jim sat there confused for a moment before the memory of last night rushed back to him. He buried his face in his hands out of embarrassment despite being alone in his cabin. Did he really give one of his nesting blankets to Silver?! Could he get more idiotic?! It was bad enough that he could barely hide the blossoming crush for the older Alpha. Now Silver had one of his blankets! 

Thinking back to when he gave the blanket to Silver, he recalled what he’d said after accidentally revealing that the blanket was from his nest. _“Didn’t know you liked my coat that much,”_ what had he meant by that? He hadn’t given the blanket back to him… had he? Jim searched his nest, looking around his room, but found no trace of the large blue blanket. 

“He really took it,” Jim whispered to himself in disbelief. His mind preceded to flash an image of Silver scenting the blanket and Jim’s face lit up like a Christmas tree. Silver didn’t return the gift, even after Jim had fallen asleep. The small action fluttered Jim’s heart into a storm as he got out of bed in order to get ready for the day.

Since he didn’t need to put new clothes on, Jim just grabbed his boots and headed to the Galley. It was warmer today, despite the day being so young. He stepped onto the deck of the ship to see if the storm had left any damage but all he saw was a few puddles of stardust. He made a mental note to tell Alex to swab the deck after doing the breakfast dishes. 

He returned to the galley, starting to take out flour, sugar, eggs, and everything else needed to make pancakes. It was one of the great breakfast foods you could make for a large group of people and Jim loved making them. At some point, he noticed that the tea mugs from last night weren’t anywhere on the counter. Checking the cupboard he found them clean and put away. Silver had done the dishes… 

Jim was smiling slightly at the action when Alex finally sleepily stumbled into the galley. He dragged him over to help make the pancakes, he could start on chores afterwards. Alex immediately grew a giant smile when Jim handed him a spatula and showed him how to flip pancakes. The smile never left his lips, staying there all the way until Silver called breakfast time. Thankfully, they’d finished all the pancakes by then. It was a relief that they had it all done since it was a lot of food to make and Jim had woken up later than usual. Perhaps having Alex help cook was a good idea. 

The crew easily took their pancakes off the plates set at the tables, chowing down. No one complained about them being under or overcooked, some even sent a few compliments in his direction. Jim heard them, a smile on his lips in satisfaction, and had turned to give orders to Alex to do the dishes when Silver grabbed him by the arm.

“Come on, give the lad a break,” he grunted, pulling Jim back a bit. The tug was gentle, using his organic limb instead of his metal, a loose grip that barely squeezed Jim’s arm.   
“Both ye gotta eat,” he reminded him, grabbing a plate from the counter so that Jim could eat.

Jim huffed. Silver was right, however, the dishes needed to be done. He was going to protest, but Alex was already sitting down at the table next to Chel as they passed him a few pancakes.   
“I guess you’re right,” Jim sighed in defeat, allowing Silver to lead him over to the table.

“Don’t sound so defeated, I just want ya to taste how good yer cookin’ is,” Silver chuckled, ruffling Jim’s hair as he sat down on the bench next to him.

Jim nearly purred at the contact, it took every inch of willpower in his body not to do so. He didn’t want to purr in front of the entire crew, even if no one was looking at him. He settled down next to Silver, allowing him to stack his plate with pancakes and pass him the bottle of syrup. 

“Eat up, can’t have ye passin’ out on us,” Silver joked as he passed Jim one of the forks from the end of the table. He was dangerously close to him, sitting close enough that if Jim’s heart was beating any louder he would most definitely hear it. Jim could smell the Alpha scent that was masked by the Beta scent, it was full of worry and care. It made him even more nervous.

Jim snorted a little, it was a preposterous comment for Silver to make, he hadn’t passed out due to hunger for years. The last time he did it he was… _“Oh god...”_ The memory raced through his mind of collapsing next to Silver aboard the R.S.L. He hadn’t eaten more than a purp for three days and Silver had told him to swab the deck for the third time that week. When the older man had come to see his progress, he’d been swaying heavily. Silver had ordered him to scrub a spot he’d missed that to this day Jim was still sure was sparkling and Jim had collapsed from hunger against Silver’s chest.

It was horrifying to remember the moment of weakness. He hadn’t been happy to show it to Silver then and he wasn’t happy to remember it now. Especially of the older man remembered it as well. 

“Right,” Jim managed to mumble in response before shovelling his mouth full of pancakes. He hoped that if he had a mouthful that Silver wouldn’t bother talking to him more. Mostly because he feared what he’d say. He might bring up last night, in front of Chel and Alex.

Much to Jim’s relief, Silver started talking to Alex. It was odd to listen to, Silver joked around with the boy, adding more pancakes to his plate and telling him not to tell Jim despite him sitting right there. Alex was beaming, more than usual. The type of smile he’d gotten on his lips when Jim had shown him how to make pancakes. It was strangely endearing to see Silver act that way with the young boy and Jim noticed far too late why it was so endearing to him.

His scent had started to leak out, reaching his nose with whispers of longing and pining. It was pure in a sense - void of any lust - but a dead give away. Seeing Silver being a fatherly figure to the lad had triggered a long-dormant Omegan instinct inside him. He’d had just finished his pancakes so he stood up the exact moment he smelt his own scent. 

“Alex, come on, you’ve got dishes to do,” Jim ordered, quickly leaving the table and setting his plate down in the stack with the rest of the crew’s. Most of the crew had already scattered back to their posts for the day so there was quite the stack. 

Silver said something vaguely like an argument but Jim had already ducked out of the galley and into his room. It was a panic response, but it was better than having Silver smell the scent that clung to him like a melted marshmallow. His heart was pounding in his chest as he clicked the door into locked. Unfortunately, there was only one activity that could calm down the instinct now bubbling to the surface. He just hoped he could satisfy it without taking up too much time. He still had to cook the meat from last night.

Grabbing all the blankets he could from his room that wasn’t already on his bed, Jim got to work. He weaved them together, creating a solid, nest-like shape around the top of the mattress before adding more blankets in the middle to flesh it out. His scent started to simmer down, leaking into the space around him, whether that was blankets or not. He made sure to weave the blankets together just enough that he could sleep in the space without hurting himself. 

When he finally finished, he stood back and admired his work. It was a much more well-built nest, a much overdue remodel to the sloppy one he’d made a week ago. He rubbed his palm against his scent gland to make sure that he’d calmed down and brushed his fingertips against the fabric of Silver’s jacket. 

His scent had calmed down, yet the jacket was filled with it, mixing with Silver’s already prominent one. He debated taking off the jacket, but as he moved too he found he couldn’t bring himself to complete the action. It was kind of thrilling to have the jacket on with his own scent mixed in. So Jim kept it and just hoped no one stood close enough to notice.

Satisfied that no one would notice now, Jim returned to the galley. He kept the door to his room firmly shut, just in case. Alex was at the counter, finishing the last of the dishes. It was good because it meant that Jim hadn’t taken that much time and he still had enough time to start dinner.

“When you’re done those, swab the deck,” Jim said as he took the marinated meat out of the fridge. It had marinated perfectly, the meat had soaked up most of the sauce and was perfect for cooking. 

“Okay mister Hawkins,” Alex chirped as he washed the final plate. He was humming and Jim noticed he’d put on one of his playlists. The song was an old one of his, only on a few playlists so Jim got curious as to which one Alex had selected. Jim leaned over to the music player to see what playlist he’d selected and his whole face flushed scarlet. The title _John Silver_ displayed proudly at the top above the current song. One of his personal playlists that only played when he was the only one in the galley. 

“Alex, did you choose the music?” Jim asked tentatively as he took down a large terracotta pot and set it on the counter. He had a habit of naming playlists after people he liked, mostly so he could listen back to them later and reminisce. 

When Alex shook his head, Jim’s whole body froze.  
“No, ‘captain put the music on,” he said, putting away the stack of plates in the cupboard next to Jim while Jim took out a few jars of sauce.

The glass jar nearly slipped from Jim’s hand. Silver had chosen the playlist…? How long had he lingered in the galley? Did he look at any of the songs on the playlist? Did he realize the meaning of the playlist? So many questions ran through Jim’s mind as he stayed crouched on the floor.

“A-and where would the captain be right now?” Jim inquired, cursing himself for stuttering like a nervous teenager. He wasn’t a teenager anymore, he didn’t need to stutter and steal longing gazes at Silver. Yet he found himself doing it anyway and Jim felt absolutely embarrassed because of it.

Alex shrugged as he moved to grab the mop and bucket.  
“Don’t know. Probably doing captain stuff. He did stay around and listen to the music though…” Alex admitted, walking off towards the stairs that lead up to the deck.  
“Oh wait! He said he’d come to see you later tonight during his watch, so you should stay up.” And with that, Alex was up the steps to the deck. 

Jim stood there for a moment as he stared at the red sauce in the jar. Silver was going to come to see him tonight… what the fuck did that mean?! He cursed Alex as he dumped the jars of sauce into the pot he’d gotten out. Why the hells did he have to be so vague? He at least knew that Silver had the second watch, so he wouldn’t have to stay up for too long. He might even have time to prepare for tomorrow’s meals.

He couldn’t bother turning off the playlist. If Silver was nearby he might get the wrong idea, that maybe Jim was embarrassed by it. So he kept it on. Eventually, he didn’t even notice it as he buzzed about the galley adding the necessary ingredients to the pot to cook up one of his mother’s old recipes. When everything was finished and prepared, he set the pot on the stove and turned it on to cook. 

Then he set on the rice. It was meant to be fried and seasoned so Jim had to start on it now so it’d be ready for dinner. The rice was going to contain the nights vegetables, hidden so the crew couldn’t pick them out. It was like cooking for picky children if those children were drunken pirates who hated vegetables with a loathing passion. Every time Jim made them, there was always a sizeable few who picked at them or gave them to their friends. It made him wonder how none of them were sick. With scurvy or something else. He didn’t have the power to force them to eat them, but he did have the power to hide them so they didn’t realize.

It took him the rest of the day to finish dinner. There was red sauce all over his apron and his hands were stained from the seasoning he’d used. Cooking for thirty-three people (including yourself) while also making sure that everyone got enough to eat was a difficult job. Not as difficult as helping his mom at the inn, but still hard. There were a lot of different people filling different roles on the ship, sometimes multiple to the same job. Thankfully though, Chel took the roles of quartermaster and first mate, meaning Jim didn’t have to deal with three bosses. Chel was also easy to talk to so when the time came that Jim would have to say they needed to port for supplies he wasn’t worried about being snapped at. 

Since dinner time depended on him, Jim had the honour of announcing dinner. Usually Silver would see him walk up to the deck so he didn’t have to shout, but the time depended entirely on him. Thankfully, it wasn’t too late when he finished. Just enough for the crew to actually be hungry. 

Jim wiped his hands on his apron, turning off the elements until they were just enough to keep the food warm. He walked up to the galley, the doors were open and didn’t close until the first watch. Just in case a crew member needed a snack. It was better to have a missing purp rather than a passed out crew member. 

He poked his head out of the galley and saw Chel standing where Silver normally did. Blinking away his confusion he shot them a thumbs up. They shot him a thumbs-up back and put their hands to their lips to holer at the crew.

He’d just ducked back into the galley when they hollered for everyone to “get their hornswoggling arses down to the galley”. It was loud and meant to get everyone’s attention, he was pretty glad he was below deck and it was muffled. 

It wasn’t long after Chel had called that the crew found their way into the galley. Jim gave them all their own bowls of food. He’d shredded the meat so it spread across the entire crew and placed it on top of the rice. No one had noticed the vegetables and those who’d scarfed their entire meal down had practically licked their bowl clean.

Chel had waved Jim over to their table just as Silver found his way to the galley. He nodded to them but pointed to the captain. They gave him a knowing look and watched as Silver approached him.

“I see you finally decided to grace us with your presence,” Jim chuckled as he grabbed a bowl for Silver. He got a snort out of the captain as he dished up the bowl, but nothing more. It was odd and Jim was starting to get nervous as they sat down with Chel.

The three of them were well into dinner and Jim had taken up a pleasant conversation with Chel. Even Alex had joined them from finishing the deck. Yet Silver hadn’t said a word the entire time. He looked rather focused on his food. The nervousness in Jim’s stomach had turned to quiet the storm of butterflies by now.

“Had your tongue pruned their captain?” Chel quipped. They’d finished their food quite some time ago and were on their third mug of beer. 

Silver lifted his head, raising an eyebrow at them.  
“What?” he asked as if he hadn’t even heard them. Jim’s eyes shot over to Silver, scanning his face for an indicating expression but he was unreadable. 

“You’ve been quiet the whole dinner. Ya thinkin’ about somethin’?” they pressed, leaning forwards. Chel did have a point, even Alex had talked more than Silver did.

Silver shook his head and looked as if he was going to return to his food.  
“My thoughts are my own, Chel,” he said gruffly, standing up from the table and walking over to the kitchen. 

The three of them watched as Silver refilled his bowl and sat back down. He didn’t talk for the rest of the evening, so they carried a conversation without him. Every once and a while Silver would add a chuckle to the conversation, but nothing more. Jim became increasingly more worried when Silver refused to drink more than a single mug, even when Chel tried to goat him into one. He’d also said nothing about that night, leaving Jim in a worried puddle.

Eventually, dinner ended and everyone cleared the galley. Most of the crew headed to bed, some stayed behind to play cards but they cleared out half-way into the first watch. Jim remained in the galley, moving between his room and the kitchen as Alex washed the nights dishes. He didn’t know what to cook so he’d started pacing between the rooms. Yet, his mind was far from figuring out dinner, it was solely focused on why the hell Silver wanted to see him that night.


	6. "If It Ain't Too Much Trouble"

He couldn’t focus and he cursed himself for it. Alex had gone to bed already, he’d finished the dishes over two hours ago and Jim had sent him to bed with a glass of water. He hadn’t prepared anything for dinner tomorrow, deciding to make pasta instead. This was mostly on account that he couldn’t tear his mind away from Silver for more than two seconds. Normally it wasn’t this bad, normally Jim could ignore it, but the implication that Silver wanted to see him tonight was bringing it all to the surface. 

The night had started to nip at him, so he’d ducked into his room for a brief moment to dig out a warm sweater. Since he didn’t have the stove cooking and heating up the galley, it was quite cold. Eventually, Jim decided to make himself tea just so he could have an excuse to heat the galley up. It boiled away on the stove, creating a deliciously warm temperature throughout the galley and warming Jim up a bit more. 

Well into the second watch - Silver’s watch - Silver had yet to appear. Jim had just put the kettle on at this point. It was boiling away on the stove as he paced back and forth. He wasn’t nervous… or at least he wouldn’t admit it. Silver probably just wanted to talk business or reminisce about their voyage on the R.S.L. Yet, the silence that had hung over Silver during dinner had quickly added to the fluttering rage of butterflies in his stomach. Silver was rarely quiet, let alone remaining that way for long periods of time, and he especially never refused a drink. 

Jim’s nerves had started to boil over when the kettle started screaming on the stove. The loud noise brought Jim back down to the ship and out of his mind. He forced himself to lift the kettle and pour his tea, hoping it’d calm his nerves. He was just about to set the kettle down when footsteps sounded throughout the galley.

He didn’t even have to look up to know who had entered. The heavy thud belonged to one man only. Any other occasion and Jim would turn around and greet him, but as he grew closer, a scent caught his nose. It wasn’t his normal scent, it was laced with anxiety and worry, a raw scent undisturbed by a blocker far from the normally collected and faint one that he carried. He only realized that he’d frozen halfway between putting the kettle back on the stove and pouring the cup when Silver spoke up.

“Ye um… you making tea?” Silver asked quietly, stopping somewhere before the galley turned into the kitchen. The words startled Jim into movement and he turned around to place the kettle back on the stove, catching a glimpse of Silver. He was standing just on the other side of the stove, Jim’s blanket hung between his arms. Even the expression on his face read as nervous. It did very little for Jim’s nerves to see this because Silver rarely ever got nervous. Jim couldn’t even recall the last time he’d seen him nervous.

Jim almost froze up again at the sight of the blanket. Was he going to give it back…? The thought echoed through his head and he felt the butterflies return ten-fold.  
“I am. Do you want some?” It was really a question to get a conversation going and clear the nervous air around them. It was a force of habit to ask, but Jim was already reaching for the tea that Silver had last night. 

Thankfully, Silver nodded in agreement and leant against one of the counters across from Jim. It was subtle, but it put Jim at ease to see Silver relax, even if it was only a little.   
“If it ain’t too much trouble,” he mumbled, still holding onto Jim’s blanket. 

Jim got down the same mug from last night, working quickly to get the tea ready so he wouldn’t have to reboil the water. He was quick enough, thanking the heavens as he went, and watched as the water steamed as he poured it into the mug. Once both mugs were steeping and the kettle was back on the stove, Jim turned around, sitting on the countertop. 

“So… what did you want to talk about?” Jim finally asked, the butterflies in his stomach nearly blocking the words from leaving his mouth. He cursed himself for being this way, this was his captain, he had no right to crush on him, no matter how attractive he was. Yet, here he was, wrapped up in Silver’s coat with him across from him holding his blanket late at night.

Silver let out a chuckle, shaking his head.  
“Nah, I wanted to show ye somethin’,” he admitted, circling around the stove to where Jim was sitting on the counter. Instinctively, Jim hopped down when Silver got close.  
“You got a box of cookies ‘round here?” Silver asked, opening up a cupboard. It wasn’t really a question, Silver had been the one to stock the galley, he already knew where the cookies where. This was only proven when he pulled out a metal tin full of them from the top of the cupboard.

Jim watched as Silver walked off towards the galley exit. He got to the stairs before turning around with a mildly confused look on his face.  
“You comin’ Jimbo?” 

Jim blinked, startled a little at the request. It didn’t take him long to recover though as a moment later he grabbed the mugs off the counter and scurried after Silver. Silver took him above deck and over to the bow of the ship. He waved Jim over to the small ledge that doubled as a table where he could set the mugs down.

“The um, tea should be ready,” Jim pointed out as he stood next to Silver. They were close and Silver had made no move to put distance between the two of them as he opened the box of cookies. 

Silver nodded at Jim’s words, setting the tin lid down next to the mugs and holding the container out to Jim.  
“Cookie?” he offered. Jim looked into the container, the cookies almost looked homemade. Tentatively, Jim picked one up and took a small bite. His eyes widened at how good it was. These were expensive cookies, far from the cheap ones that Jim would usually buy with part of his paycheck back in the Navy. 

“Where in the hells did you get these?” Jim questioned playfully, a slight bit of laughter bouncing out with his words. It was easy to lose his nerves around Silver, as long as they were alone.  
Silver looked over at him and winked.  
“I stole ‘em from the Queen’s Navy.” Jim couldn’t tell if he was joking or not, but it wouldn’t be that unreasonable for Silver to do. Sure, stealing cookies was a little odd, but Jim wasn’t one to judge. They were really good cookies.

Silver set the tin down on the ledge, picking up his mug as he looked around the Etherium as if he was searching for something. Jim wasn’t exactly sure what he was looking for so he stayed silent, reaching for another cookie. If Silver had noticed him, he didn’t say anything to dissuade him from taking it.

He had a mouthful of cookie when Silver brightened up and pointed to something out in the Etherium.  
“Look over there!” he stated proudly. A smile had finally graced his lips and Jim felt a little more at ease now. Silver’s scent even started to perk up, a slight hint of triumph mixing with the existing nerves.

Jim’s eyes followed Silver’s finger. He almost shot the captain a confused look before something swam up to the ship, popping its head over the rail of the deck. It had round features and a snout, it’s pelt dark grey with white spots that resembled constellations. Jim had seen one or two of the pelts in his Navy time, never the actual creature itself. It vaguely reminded him of an otter. 

“Woah,” Jim breathed, watching as the creature turned on it’s back and drifted around the outside of the ship. As Jim continued to watch it, a smaller version popped up and snuggled up against the larger one. 

“They’re quite the sight,” Silver agreed next to him. Jim felt a hand settle on his shoulder, only for it to pull away a moment later. He didn’t mention it, instead, he moved slightly closer to Silver, testing the waters between the two of them. 

“How’d you know they’d be out?” Jim asked as a few more of the creatures popped up, interacting with each other next to the railing of the ship. It was odd that Silver would’ve brought him out here without actually knowing that the creatures would be here, but even more odd that Silver would know the creatures would be here.

“They only come out the night after a storm. They like the stardust that’s left behind,” Silver explains as one of the creatures rubs itself on the side of the ship, coating its head in stardust. Jim let out a chuckle as the smaller one on its stomach sneezed.

“That’s pretty cool. I don’t think I’ve ever seen one alive before,” Jim mused, entranced by the small creatures as he grabbed yet another cookie and finally took a sip of his tea. He had subtly moved closer to Silver once more, his hand almost brushing against the other’s artificial one. 

“You don’t get an experience quite like this by being constantly controlled,” Silver commented, taking a cookie for himself. He’d already finished his tea, the empty mug sitting on the ledge. Jim knew exactly what he meant by the words, the Navy was heavy on rules and guidelines. Jim hadn’t actually been able to enjoy the Etherium around him thanks to being absolutely swamped. 

“I think I like being a pirate better,” he agreed, leaning his head to the side and resting it on Silver’s shoulder. When his head hit something soft, rather than the cool metal of Silver’s arm, Jim finally noticed that Silver was now wearing his blanket around his shoulders. A small dusting of blush graced his cheeks. 

Silver chuckled next to him, turning his head to look down at Jim leaning against his shoulder. Jim felt his face light up just a little bit more.  
“You do now?” he pressed, a teasing tone in his voice. His scent had started to take on a relaxing smell, the pervious nervous hint fizzling out of existence. It put Jim at ease and his own scent adjusted instinctively to match. 

“Yeah… no rules, no one telling me what I should like, the open Etherium, and you. I’d started to miss our days on the R.S.L. You know, you haven’t left my mind since I met you, always finding your way into my thoughts and-” he caught himself before he could say anything further. Blush spread across his face as he pulled away from Silver.

Silver looked at him with a wide eye, almost as if he was processing what he should say next. An anxious silence fell over the two and Jim found himself second-guessing everything that had happened in the last week. His heard was racing in his chest, telling him to leave before Silver had the chance to reject him. 

He reached down to collect the mugs, running his mouth with a stuttering apology;  
“Sorry, it’s late. I should get to bed so I can be up in time to make breakfast. Thank you for inviting me out here. Sorry-” a hand on his upper arm cut him off and Jim spun around to look at Silver.

The older man was standing there awkwardly, holding his arm still as if he let go and Jim would flee for good. Yet the hold was as soft and light as if Silver was using every part of his strength to not hurt him. There was a look of nervousness on his face, but his scent had turned into heavy, and blanketing. Jim swallowed audibly, he recognized that scent. He’d smelt the same thing over and over on so many Alpha’s before, it had always been terrifying to him. An unwanted advance. Yet, right now he wanted to drown in it, let it fill his lungs and never leave. 

“Jim… what were you going to say?” Silver’s face was unreadable, a mixture of nerves, longing, and several other feelings he couldn’t read as his eyes flickered over his features. He hadn’t even picked the mugs up yet, and already he wanted to put them down. 

“I’d give anything if you’d kiss me,” Jim replied without thinking. He watched Silver’s face flash several different emotions, his cheeks turning scarlet. Both of them leaned into each other at the same time, meeting halfway until they were inches away from each other. Silver hesitated and without thinking, Jim didn’t. He leaned up, closing the rest of the distance and pressing his lips to Silver’s. He kissed him with all the fear and longing that he’d bottled up for years. He kissed him as if he’d never get this chance again and wanted to savour every moment. Silver stood there shocked, unmoving until a hand reached up, cupping Jim’s jaw and pulling him back.

“I’m sorry, are ya sure ya want-” Silver started to ask. He looked shocked and hesitant. Jim didn’t even need him to finish the sentence before he pressed his lips right back. He reached his own hands up, cupping the older man’s face and stroking his thumb across Silver’s cheek. 

Silver hesitantly leaned down into him, still unsure if he was wanted. Jim moved a hand from Silver’s face, moving his remaining hand to rest it on Jim’s hip, against the material of his jacket. It was as if the remainder of Jim wrapped in his jacket jumpstarted his mind. Jim had never felt safer than the moment Silver’s arms reached down with newfound confidence and wrapped around his back, pulling him up just enough so that their necks weren’t bent at awkward angles. Years of separation and longing fell away and they were just two men kissing under the Etherium in the dead of night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Slow burn be damned, that was slow enough.


	7. “Ye okay?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just want to say, I fucking choked on my drink when I checked the kudos. Anyways, here’s an overly sensitive Silver.
> 
> Smaller update because I am really tired atm.

When they finally pulled apart for air, both of their faces were dusted pink. Jim’s mouth was slightly open as they stayed still, gazing into each other’s eyes. Neither spoke for a long moment, Jim was unsure of what he’d say if he did. Where did they go from here? Was this a confession? Did Silver like him? Did he just force himself onto him? Jim’s mind bubbled like a boiling soup, desperately trying to make sense of what had just happened. Silver hadn’t pushed him off him, so that was a good sign… right?

“Ye okay?” Silver finally asked, shattering the silence between the two of them. He was looking at Jim with concern heavy in his eyes. Silver had yet to let go of him, and he was still slightly in the air. 

Jim blinked, swallowing the nerves down as best as he could before responding.  
“Are you?” he pressed tentatively. He was beyond okay, apart from the now bubbling nerves, but he’d be better if he knew Silver was okay as well.

Silver smiled. No, he beamed brighter than the stars around them. It struck Jim’s heart, causing him to blush more. His head bowed down to Jim’s neck.  
“I’ve never been better,” he declared, nuzzling Jim’s neck right where his scent glad was. Jim shivered when he inhaled deeply, the blush on his face turning scarlet. 

“Really?” Jim pressed, his hand already carding through the small ends of Silver’s hair that didn’t fit under his bandana. He was content wrapped up in the alpha’s arms. Even if they were on the bow of the ship still.

“Really. Ye’ve never left my mind since ye saved my ass back on Crescentia three years ago,” Silver admitted, pulling his head back from Jim’s neck to meet his gaze again. He was blushing, not nearly as hard as Jim was, but enough to be noticeable. 

Jim offered him a soft smile, leaning forwards and kissing him again. It was soft and chaste, just enough to reply without using words because his pride was catching them in his throat. Silver seemed to take the hint and returned the kiss. 

“You wanna stay in my quarters for the night?” he asked, a hand reaching up and brushing the side of Jim’s face. Jim leant his head into the touch like a man finding an oasis in a desert. 

“Sure… I gotta be up to make breakfast though,” Jim reminded him as Silver set him down on the ground.

“I know. We got-” Silver looked around at the stars, almost as if he was reading the time- “fifteen or so minutes before Chel takes the next watch. You good with staying up with me?”

“Always,” Jim mumbled, following after Silver as he walked back over to the ledge. 

They continued to stay there for quite some time. Jim leant against Silver’s shoulder, the blanket draped across both of them as they stared out into the endless Etherium. The watch was uneventful, not a single hint of danger. When Chel came over to relieve them, they gave a sly wink. Silver told them off before ducking into his quarters with Jim at his heels. Chel took out a cigarette as she watched them go.

The quarters were under the main area where he could hold meetings. The stairs creaked a little as the two of them traversed downwards. Silver’s quarters were large, much larger than Jims. The first thing that caught his eye was the bed big pushed up the side of the wall, big enough to fit the large Ursid and still have plenty of room. Apart from the bed, there was a divider that separated a bathtub, several shelves on the walls, and a few places to store clothes. Large windows on either side of Jim displayed the Etherium proudly. It was the most remarkable room that Jim had seen, but it wasn’t the worst.

Silver waved him over to his bed and Jim happily shut the door behind himself. Neither had the guts to say words, so they stripped down until they were both in their underwear. Clothes were folded and put away, and Silver’s jacket was hung on a hook near the door. Jim’s eyes followed the large alpha, tracing over each curve and divot of his body. He had short, fluffy brown hair that was ruffled in several different directions. Jim watched as Silver rolled his shoulders back, rubbing at the juncture where his metal arm met scarred flesh.

Silver must’ve caught him looking because he made a comment on the action.  
“It’s sore. Phantom pain or somethin’,” he grumbled, continuing to rub the area. Jim made an ‘O’ with his mouth, crossing the room to where Silver was sitting on his bed. 

“Is there something I can do?” he asks quietly, sitting down next to him. He was watching Silver rub the shoulder, unsure of what he could do. He didn’t really have much experience with this sort of thing. He wished he did.

Silver shook his head, scooting farther back on the bed.  
“Nah, it’ll pass,” he grunted, falling back so his head hit the pillow with a soft ‘thud’. He waved for Jim to join him, holding the cover’s open. 

Jim scooted back, allowing Silver to put the covers down over the top of him. His blanket brushed against the skin on his cheek.  
“You sure?” he double-checked, looking at the older man hesitantly. 

“Positive,” Silver grumbled, wrapping one arm around Jim, pulling him flush against his side. Jim relaxed, reaching out and brushing his fingers against Silver’s stomach as he rested his head on the crook of his arm. 

“If you say so,” he mumbled back, his eyes already being weight down by sleep. Silver’s skin was surprisingly soft and furry. The paler fur around his face stretched around his belly, it was much softer than the darker, denser fur on the rest of his body. Jim found himself mesmerized by its soft texture as they laid there, illuminated only by the light of the Etherium coming in from the windows.

Silver started to nuzzle his neck, his flat nose brushing against Jim’s smooth skin. The feeling was actually quite soothing and Jim found himself struggling to keep his eyes open. He continued to rub the fur of Silver’s belly, the soft texture soothing to his hand. A small rumble started to sound next to his ear and Jim flushed. 

“Sorry, it-” Silver started to apologize, moving to shift away from him. Jim pressed his hand down a slight bit, holding him in place, or at least telling him to. He paused, face still buried into Jim’s neck.

“It’s fine. Sounds nice,” he mumbled sleepily, cozying up just a bit more to the larger man. Silver sighed against his neck, his hand returning to rest against Jim’s back, the thumb stroking up and down slowly.

As Silver settled down, a comforting scent fell over the two of them. It mixed with Jim’s own, creating a blanket of soft, sweet warmth. With little ties to reality and such a soothing sound next to his ear. Jim found himself drifting into sleep. He was safe and warm for the first time in a very long time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Currently suffering from writers block, gonna go on hiatus for a few days to just clear it up. Sorry for the inconvenience.


	8. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I know many of you enjoyed this fic. So I decided that rather than leaving it unfinished, I'd add an ending of sorts. I know it's not exactly what you had in mind, but I have other projects I want to work on, and I'm currently swamped because of numerous different reasons.
> 
> -the author

Jim's years he'd spent in the Navy slowly started to fade from his mind over time. As his memories became replaced by new ones aboard the ship with Silver, he found himself forgetting and wanting to forget his past.

When he'd eventually felt comfortable enough, and he and Silver had fallen into a stable dynamic, he visited his mom. She was... surprised, to say the least when Jim returned home. But she was happy nonetheless. 

Jim earned and received a promotion to First-mate when the original First-mate was killed in battle. He and Silver worked hard to keep the crew in line and fed. However, if you asked any of the crew, they'd say they never saw a time where Silver was happier.

After a few years of travelling the Ether together, Jim and Silver had two small kids. A feisty girl and a wide-eyed boy. Though the never settled down or bought a house. Instead, they raised their kids on the ship, showing them how to survive and make a name for themselves in the world. 

The kids grew up to become successful and make their fathers proud. The girl started her own crew, where the boy returned to Jim's childhood home, working alongside the Dopplers, and assisting the doctor in his research. They made an alliance with their daughter, forming one of the greatest alliances that the Ether had ever seen. They worked alongside each other to pillage, plunder, and steal whatever they wanted.

Jim and Silver never left their ship, always staying on the high seas. Old age took both of them, albeit Silver first, leaving Jim to take place as the Captain. He brought the crew into riches, dying in his bed late at night. His daughter took on the crew, forming one of the largest crews on the Ether. One that could even rival pirates from the past.

Both men were laid to rest in the remains of Treasure Planet. 

**Author's Note:**

> Kudos, comment and subscribe if you enjoyed!! Feedback is always welcome!


End file.
